Spring-controller for vehicles.



V. HARTFORD.

SPRING CONTROLLER FOR VEHICLES. APELIGATION FILED DE@ 1909.

Llgyglggm Patented Deo. 15.1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

B. v. HARTFORD.. SPRING CONTROLLER FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED DC.22, 1909. 1,121,012 Patented Dec.15,1914

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v.mmumnnmf/ E. V. HARTFORD. SPRING CONTROLLER FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEU.22,1909.

Patentedec. l5, i914.

4 SHEETS-SEEET 3.

B. V. HARTFORD.

SPRING CONTROLLER POR VEHICLES,

APPLIOATEON FILED DEU. 22, 1909.

1,121,012., Patented Dec. 15,1914,

^ incinta.

EDWARD V. HFLRTFORD, 0F DEAL, NEW JERSEY.

SPRING-CDNTRGLLER FOR VEECLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Bec. 5, iste.

applicant-n and December se, isos. semi no. estela.

To @ZZ whom it may concern: l

Be it lmown that l, EDWARD V. HARTFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Deal, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Con trollers for Vehicles, of 1which the following is `a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices for retarding or controlling" the .action of vehicle springs, and it has for its object the .production of a more perfectly-operating and satisfactory apparatus than any heretofore used. in its broader aspects its construction is such as to produce a progressively-increasing frictional resistance to the action of the vehicle spring in proportion to the movement thereof, such increase, however, being of a step-by-step character, as distinguished from the gradual or sliding scale.

The purpose has been to provide a structure wherein a reasonable amount of friction is employed to control the smaller and more ordinary vibrations, while different and greater degrees of friction are brought into operation to control the greater or unusual vibrations, the amount of friction in each case being predetermined.

Other novel features of my invention consist in ineans for permitting of a'deterniination of the amount of friction produced by each of the several members without dismounting the apparatus froni the vehicle, and likewise novel lubricating means and novel and useful details of construction which will be hereinafter more particularly described. j

lt will be understood that niy invention is capable of embodiment in various waysv and in many different foi-ins of apparatus and I do not intend to conne myself to any particular forni or forms thereof. In the drawings accompanying this application, however, l, have illustrated two typical foi-ins thereof, and in these drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a practicable embodiment of a form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the internal members thereof. Fig. 5 ,a plan view of another intei-nal member. Fig.I 6 is va plan view of a forni of friction washer, showing means for preventing its rotation. Fig.-7 is a sectional view of the central-holding bolt. and

nut, yshowing the lubricant receptacle; and Fig. 8 is a plan of another forni of washer in position on the bolt. Fig. 9 is a pla-n view of one of the internal friction ineinbers with a testing handle. Fig. l() a similar View with the handle shown seated; and

Fig. ll is a section taken on lines of' ytegral therewith, and the ends of said arms are constructed for connection. to one of the parts of the vehicle between which the spring is interposed. This construction is not herein specifically described or illustrated, as it has been previously explained by me in earlier applications and is well known and understood in the art. intermediate said outer friction members 5 and 6,' are shown located interior friction ineinbers T, 8, and 9, the central member 'i' having an operating arm preferably formed integral therewith and adapted for connection at its outer end with the other of the parts of the vehicle between which the spring is shown interposed. The friction member S is provided with a shorter integral operating arm, in which latter is located a slot l0. Friction member 9 has a similar arni provided .With a A somewhat longer slot ll. lVlien in operative position, the various friction members are separated or spaced by ineans of friction washers l2. These wasliers are preferably similar in size and shape to the friction portion of the friction inembers, and are shown provided with circular, central apertures for the bolt l.

To provide for satisfactory and compensating pressure-regulating ineans for vthe friction members and interposed washers, l prefer to employ a spider-shaped spring 13,

having a central aperture for the bolt l.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the lingers of said. spring are'shown bearing upon the outersurface of the outer friction member 5 near its periphery,1theeentral porticnbeing in Gontact with the nut 3. By tightening up this nut, the desirable degree of pressure may be obtained between the friction members and their adjacent Washers. Ilhe spider spring serves to distribute this pressure uniformly throughout -the area ot the disks. Theenlarged head f, of the boltI l sustains and supports the friction member 6 with which it contacts, and thus prevents any possible l'lexure or distortion of said meinber.

To the arm of the friction member 7, is shown rigidly secured a pin or stud 1+i, the stud being secured at its center and having its ends projected into the slots l0 and llof Jfriction members 8 and 9. Suitable distance-pieces or spacing-Washers 15 are shown on said pin to maintain the arms of members 8 and 9 in alinement with said members. To prevent any rotation of the friction Washers l2 with respect to the outer friction members 5 and 6, a pin 1G is provided, one end of which is firmly secured near the periphery of the friction member G. This pin is seated in suitable circular apertures in said friction Washers and also in slots 17 located near the peripheries of friction members 7, 8, and 9. The pin is also seated in an aperture in friction mem bei' 5, in Which it tits snugly, but not tight enough to prevent the movement of said` member 5 in a Adirection toward or away from the member 6 in adjusting the pressure between the various members.

, The operation of the foregoing device will be readily understood. When the parts are assembled and the friction members and Washers clamped nrmly, movement of the rictimn members with respect to each other is resisted by the friction between said members and the coperating faces bf the inten posed Washers. When the outer ends of the arms of members 5 and 6, and the member 7 are connected to the vehicle in the manner heretofore described, any movement of the parts causes a relative in vement between the members 5 and 6 and the member 7. This movement is retarded by the friction between the friction member' 7 and the coperating Washers, and if the movement be slight and less than the travel of the pin le in the slot l@ of member 8, the frictional resistance exercised is that only. If, however, the movement be greater, one end ont the pin 1+i will Contact with one end of the slot l0, and thus the member 8 will be moved, its movement, however, being retarded by the rictional resistance between it and its cooperating friction washer surfaces. The movement thus produced, there fore, is retarded not only by the friction between the member 7 and its contacting washers, but also by the friction between the member 8 and its contacting Washers. Should the movement be still greater than as thus described, the other end of the pin 14- will contact with one end of the slot 1l and thus move the member 9, thereby increasing the resistance by the addition of the friction between said member 9 and its cooperating vashers. lt will thus be secu that in operation, the device, illustrated and described, contains a plurality of friction members adapted to be successively brought into operation, according to the amount of relative movement between the arn s of members and G and of member 7, and thus l'. have provided means for retarding a vehicle spring in proportion, generally, to the amount ot iovemcnt of said spring.

ln sonic cases it is desirable to determine, during operation and without .lisinounting the whole apparatus, the exact amount of retarding action being exerted by any one of the friction members, and to this end l have devised an individual operating means, a form of which is shown in Figs. i), lO, l1. The device consists ol' an operating arm ll, the end ol which is-provided ivith gripping flanges l2, adapted to engage the end of the arms of the disl; to be tested, and a pin l?) is provided For enffagement with alreccss 4l., in the end oi said arm. By connecting the arm as shown in Fig. l0, the individual member may be operated, or oscillated about their central openings 5l, amount of friction which this member is effecting in operation can readily be measured and determined.

As previously stated, it is desirable in some instances to insure the friction washers from rotation, and in Fig. (i I have shown means for obtaining this result. ln this construction the friction ashers (which may be of Wood, leather, liber, or other inaterial), are provided ivith a central section or portion d5, fixed firmly by mea-ns of lugs 46, into the body of the Washer. This section is provided with a finger or key 47, which key is adapted to slide in a slot cut vertically inthe bolt l, as shown. n order to obtain the best results, it is also desirable that the parts be properly lubricated at all times, as thus undue wear is prevented and the life of the apparatus very greatly ist longed. One novel method ol: obtai'nnc., proper lubrication is illustrated most clearly in Fig. 7 and consists in providing the belt 1 with a. central aperture or chamber 48, adapted to be closed by a spring cap 49. Slots 50 extend from said chamber to the outer edges of the bolt and serve as passagei iva' :tor egress of the lubricating material, which may be inserted in the chamber 118. and direct it or permit it to How outward between the friction surfaces to lubricate the saine.

While the devices above described provide but three degrees of friction, it is obvious and thus thc exact l.;

, out departing from the spirit thereof, and l" do not means 'to limit myself to the exact Construction shown. and described, but

lVhat l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. spring controller for vehicles comprising a pair of concurrently movable friction members, having means adapted to be secured to one part of the vehicle, a plurality of friction disks interposed between said friction members, one of said disks beingcentrally located with relation to the other oi said disks and provided with means adapted to be secured to another part of the vehicle, and means carried by said centrally located disk and in engagement with certain other of the remaining disks, whereby a predetermined movement of thecentrally located disk ivill render the said remaining disks operative in sequence.

Q. A spring controller for vehicles com` prising a pair of concurrently movable friction members, having means adapted to be secured to one part or' thel vehicle, a plurality of friction disks positioned therebetween, one of said disks being centrally located with relation to the other of said disks, and provided with means adapted to be at tached to another part of the vehicle, means I in positive engagement with one of said pair of friction members and passing through all of said parts in frictional engagement to maintain the alinement thereof. and means carried by said centrally located disk adapted to engagemvith certain ot' the remaining;r disks 'to render said disks frictionally operative in sequence.

A spring controller for vehicles com prising a. pair of concurrently movable friction members having,- means adapted to be secured to one part of the vehicle, a plurality ot' friction disks interposed therebetween, one of' said disks being,- centrally located with relation to the other of said disks and provided with means adapted to be secured to another part of the vehicle, means carried by said centrally located. disk and arranged to engage with certa-in other oi the remainingr disks, whereby a predetermined` movement of said centrally located disk will render said remaining disks oper` atire in sequence, and means normally in engagement With one of said movable members at a plurality of'points to maintain all of said parts in constant frictional contact.

el. spring controller for vehicles comprising a pair of concurrently movable fric tion members, having means adapted to be' secured to one part of the vehicle, a plurality of friction disks interposed therebetween, one of said disks being centrally located with relation to the other or' said disks and provided with means adapted to be secured to another part of the vehicle, means in positive engagement with one of said pair oiE movable members and adapted to maintain all of said parts in coperative relation., means in engagement with the other of said pair of movable members at plurality of points to maintainall of said parts in con stant frictional contact, and means carried by said centrally located disk `and in engagement with certain other of the remaining disks whereby a predetermined move` ment of said centrally located member Will render said remaining disks frictionally operative in sequence.

5. Aspring controller comprising a series of successively-active friction members and means carried by certain of said members and adapted for testing the frictional resistance thereof.

6. The combination with a series of friction members connected together for movement in unison, of a second series of friction members in frictions-l engagement with the members of the first series, connecting means for sequentially uniting' the members of the second series for causingthe same to move in unison relative to the members of the first series, and means carried by certain of said members and adapted 'for severally testing the frictional resistance of the sequentially-active members.

7. The combination With a series ofY fric- .tion plates nfounted for oscillation about a common axis, or" means for uniting the members of the s'eries sequentially together for oscillation in unison, a series of devices in frietional engagement with said plates and movable relative thereto for producing friction, and means carried by certain of said members and adapted for testing the frictional resistance imparted to the sequen tially-movable members severally and collectively. i

8. The combination with an oscillatory friction plate', of a pair of friction plates mounted for oscillation about the axis of the first plate, means for sequentially uniting the plates of the pair to said first plate for oscillation in unison, a series of members in frictional engagement with said plates and movable relative thereto for producine fric tion, and means carried by certain or said members and adapted for testing the frietional resistance imparted severally to the plates of the pair.

9. The combination 1vith a pair of friction plates, a pivot member carried thereby and an arm rigid with each plate and constructed and adapted for attachment to a vehicle part, of a friction plate locatecl between the said plates and oscillatory on the pivot member, and an arm rigid with such plate and constructed and adapted for attachment to another vehicle part, a friction plate located on each side oi" said last-mentioned friction plate between same and. tlie' plates of the pair and mounted for oscillation upon said pivot member, eacli of the side plates being provided with a segmental slot, tlie slot in one plate being longer than the slot in tlie other plate, a pincarried by the central plate and extending from tac respective sides tliereot` aiicl located in tlie said slots of tlie side plates, and a series of friction members in engagement with the sides of the i'especth'e plates and movable relatively to the central plate and the side plates.

l0. The combination with a pair oriction plates, a pivot. member carried thereby and an arm rigid with each plate and constructed and adapted for attachment to a vehicle part, oi' a 'riction plate located between the said plates and oscillatory on the pivot member and an arm rigid with. such plate and constructed and adapted for attacliment to another Vehicle part, a friction plate located on eacli side of said last-mentioned friction plate between same and the plates of tliepair and mounted for oscillation upon saidpivot' member, each. of the side plates being provided with a. segmental slot, the slot in one plate being longer than the slot in the other plate, a pin carried by the centra-l plate and,extending^ from the respective sides thereof and located. in the said slots of the side plates.

l. A spring controller comprising a series of successively-active friction meme bers, and means carried by certain of said members ancltaclapted for testing,- the frictional resistance thereof', said means being?,l constructed and ai'range for the reception of an operating tool.

In Witness whereof l have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HENRIETTA E. XVORKMAN, BERNARD BLAscoN. 

